Did you know that hundreds of families on Hilton Head Island are not connected to our public sewer system and instead still use septic tanks to treat their household wastewater?

Septic systems frequently fail on Hilton Head due to our high groundwater table and numerous tree roots. These failures can pose a threat to public health and to the island’s environment and waterways. Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) and the Town of Hilton Head Island have a shared goal of eliminating septic system usage on the island. Unfortunately, many of the homes that are without sewer connection are owned by low-income families that struggle to meet the cost of installing sewer.

Community Connection Partners: Project SAFE, Town of Hilton Head Island Sewer Connection Grant Program, the Hilton Head Water Fund, and the Deep Well Project

Project SAFE (Sewer Access for Everyone) is a charitable fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. It provides grants for income-qualified homeowners to connect to the public sewer system. More than $4 million has been donated to Project SAFE since its inception in 1999 and the fund has helped more than 600 families connect to sewer. The Town of Hilton Head Island’s Sewer Connection Grant Program helps income-qualified homeowners and rental units connect to the PSD sewer system. The Hilton Head Water Fund, a charitable fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, helps both homeowners and rental units connect to the PSD’s public water system. Customers in need of grants from the funds are assisted by dedicated volunteers at the Deep Well Project to complete the necessary applications. This multifaceted partnership is now playing a vital role in providing much-needed workforce housing on the island, by making the water and sewer connections needed for homes for our younger working households on the island.

You can help protect public health and the quality of life on Hilton Head Island by making a donation to Project SAFE today.

Simply visit the Foundation at and select “Project SAFE Fund” from the “Select Fund” drop-down menu. Or call the Foundation at (843) 681-9100 or Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-5525 and say you’d like to make a donation to Project SAFE.